If you have not booked yet for the IDE  Workshop  on 11 February to be held at the Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley, Dublin 22 it is not too late.   We have asked for extra space so we can accommodate last minute bookings

In addition Margaret Pears,  Peninsular Business Services, has kindly agreed to speak on employment law in the area of the need to reduce staff in these difficult economic times.

Terry Quarmy FIDE, IDE President and John Woodward, IDE First Vice President, look forward to meeting demolition engineers, managers and supervisors from all over Ireland.   The meeting, sponsored by Sandvik, will include a presentation by Alan Matchett on plant innovation as well as one on "Waste and Sustainability"  by Terry Quarmby.

From John Woodward, IDE First Vice President

Now that you have achieved membership of your desired institution you may feel that CPD is something that you are not bothered about. However I would say that, to be not bothered is a major mistake as more and more clients are now seeking proof of, not only membership of institutes such as The Institute of Demolition Engineers, but proof of CPD within the institute and in your working life.

As you will be asked for proof of CPD throughout 2010 and beyond why not decide now to make CPD one of your goals for this year. Attend as many seminars or training days that you can, record your attendance and use those records to prove your CPD.

The CPD record will allow you to demonstrate to potential clients that you take institute membership seriously, that your industry knowledge is up to date and that you are dedicated to your status as an institute member.

With two major seminars a year and numerous regional meetings the opportunity to obtain IDE CPD points has never been better so make a decision to attend as many as possible and keep recording those points as “Points make competence”.

We hear today that Emma Piotrowski, who is our part-time Events Secretary through the Jobshop@Kent university agency, has been selected as their Temp of the Month for January.  They applaud her "dedication, commitment and reliability to the assignment" and regard her as an excellent ambassador for their service.

Valerie Stroud, IDE National Secretary, said, "We congratulate Emma and hope she will continue to work for us while she is at the University of Kent studying Spanish and Business Studies.  She is gathering a portfolio of valuable experience as well as contributing ideas to help the efficiency of the IDE office."

Becky Kellaway, Jobshop Sales Coordinator, explains the purpose of the agency:

"jobshop@kent is here to help students at the University of Kent find paid employment during their studies; the aim is to help alleviate financial hardship, whilst offering the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. With the introduction of tuition fees and the abolition of grants, students have come under growing pressure to meet at least some of the costs of their education.

An increasingly competitive graduate employment market has also made it essential for students to gain practical experience and work-related skills while studying. jobshop@kent provides students with a one-stop service for part-time and temporary vacancies; it also addresses the recruitment needs of local business. The service is extended to students at the University of Kent at Medway and higher education students at associated colleges throughout the county.

From a student's perspective, jobshop@kent looks very similar to a job centre; the boards in its dedicated office are adorned with cards detailing current vacancies and a team of staff is available to provide application details and other advice when necessary. jobshop@kent also maintains a bank of information on issues such as taxation, National Insurance and writing a CV."

HSE Construction Division has been made aware of a bogus letter claiming to be from HSE which has been sent to several construction companies in East Anglia and the Home Counties. The letter concerns director's duties under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. The letter is headed with an old HSE Logo, is unsigned, and contains no HSE address details.  The correct HSE Logo can be seen at the top of the HSE website homepage.

Whilst HSE does make contact by letter with individuals and/or companies in the course of its business, we would not send out information in this manner. Organisational procedures require HSE staff to remain professional at all times and require them to be able to provide clear contact details including contact numbers and line manager details on request.

If you receive a similar letter and have concerns, please contact HSE to check its validity.

Further information

Corporate Manslaughter - Frequently asked questions

Contacting HSE